Lakes state insecurity is politically motivated by NCP – official
By Manyang Mayom
August 3, 2010 (RUMBEK) – A County Commissioner of Lakes state in Southern Sudan
has accused the ruling northern National Congress Party (NCP) of allegedly
supplying his state population with weapons and ammunitions.
The Commissioner of Rumbek North (Maper) County, Isaac Mayek Noah, said the
insecurity across the various counties of Lakes state is seriously politically
motivated by National Congress party (NCP) and is supplying weapons and
ammunitions to cattle raiders.
“This insecurity in Lakes state may be politically motivated, with the aim to
interrupt the upcoming referendum registration in Lakes state across eight
Counties, hindering the registration process,” he said.
Noah told the Catholic Radio that some of the arms in the hands of Southern
civilians originate from Northern Sudan, affirming that there is an effort to
destabilize the South in what he described as “cultivating crisis in our
society” to interfere with the process of registration of Southerners for the
referendum.
He said this practice of arming Southerners has affected the disarmament process
in some parts of the states of Southern Sudan. Mayek also accused northern
traders of having cooperated with Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) to supply
ammunitions under the cover of biscuits into Southern Sudan territory. He cited
as an example detected round of bullets packed as biscuits in one of
businessman’s trucks.
Last week, two girls were killed by cattle raiders in Rumbek North County in a
surprise attack carried out by Cueibet County against Rumbek North.
Nevertheless, Commissioner described the present case of insecurity involving
Rumbek North County and Cueibet County as “a surprise and a shock”, explaining
that the government is doing a lot to protect the people.
The Commissioner said the attack at Chiloc cattle camp last week, a camp
bordering Rumbek North, Rumbek Central and Cueibet Counties, resulted in the
death of five people, two girls and three men in addition to two men wounded,
adding that the perpetrators and the victims are related.
Moreover, Cueibet County commissioner, Madhang Majok Mayen, confirmed the report
that the Chiloc fatal attack involved people from the same community. The
process of disarmament in Lakes state has not yet been successfully done
according to the expectation of the Government of Southern Sudan.
THREE COUNTIES COMMISSIONERS DEMAND ARREST OF CULPRITS
Three Counties of Lakes state held Traditional Chiefs Conference in June in
Rumbek Central County and produced resolutions aimed to minimize insecurity
incidents reported across their respective counties including Cueibet, Rumbek
central and Rumbek North Counties.
Arresting the culprits will help curb insecurity in Lakes state, the
commissioners demanded. However, Cueibet County Commissioner, Madhang Majok
Mayen, speaking from Cueibet County by phone said that the ongoing insecurity in
Lakes state manifests failure to implement the resolutions to arrest culprits as
resolved during the June Traditional Chiefs Rumbek Peace Conference.
Majok ensured his counterparts in Rumbek North and Rumbek Central Counties to
arrest those involved in criminal acts and acts of revenge. The Commissioner of
Rumbek North County, Isaac Mayek, expressed the same view of arresting culprits,
adding that the security forces are already involved in what he described as
“fishing” out criminals known to the people.
Meanwhile, Rumbek Central County
commissioner, Col. Dut Makoi Kuok, on his part issued an order of arrest warrant
of criminals, adding that police officers had apprehended five people already
and those criminals are under their custody.
Cueibet Commissioner said he had managed to return 55 cows last month to Rumbek
Central County and also his plans to return 141 cows to Tonj South County of
Warrap state by Wednesday.
Lakes State is experiencing many incidences of insecurity despite the efforts on
the part of the government to keep security situation under control.
(ST)
James Mangula
Lakes state insecurity is politically motivated by NCP – official
With exception of Rumbek central county’s commissioner who have so far apprehended five perpetrators, the rest of the commissioners mentioned in this report are doing nothing, but making unnecessary noise. Cattle rustling among the said counties does predate even the North-South conflict, and as such, it has becomes a source of livelihood and a means of enhancing one’s social and economic status in those communities. So, as the saying goes “habit is a second nature” so does equally this practice too. Therefore, what these commissioners needed to do is not only emphasising and over relying on deterrence factors, but also give equal weight to attitudinal change, largely brought about by well targeted awareness and peace building capacity among stakeholders. Sadly, the commissioners are always handpicked-appointees and ill equiped, resulting in to inability to discharge their duties responsibly. They are often tear apart by their desires to serve the will of their masters and the will of communities that provides them with their daily bread. These delimmas are further compounded by tragical illiteracy level of the “yes appointees boys”, often manifested by their tireless hunt for scapegoats whenever an episode within their jurisdiction do occurred. Some do call this situation “leadership deficiency” but I call it an ignorance, bad thing is they are both faces of the same coin.